Someone Fresh
by feebes86
Summary: Left broken hearted and alone after a bad breakup, what will it take for Jacob to learn to love again? Will he be able to find happiness with Someone Fresh?


**Disclaimer: the characters and all recognizable situations belong to Stephanie Meyer - Last I looked I wasn't her... this story is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute Nation which, of course, belong to them.**

**Beta'ed by the incredible Mrstrentreznor. **

**Banner by GoldenGirl**

**Lyrics taken from the song "Sure Be Cool if You Did" By Blake Shelton**

**Someone Fresh**

"Come on man, we know you're in there."

Quil and Embry looked at each other and then started banging on the door again.

"Jake… man… come on… open up."

I stood, resigned and walked over to the door. "Why can't you take no for an answer?" I asked as I opened it just wide enough to look at my two best friends.

"Finally," Quil stated as he pushed against the door. "Really… you're not going to let us in?"

I sighed and stepped back, allowing my two friends to enter.

"Dude… how long has it been since you've cleaned in here?" I glanced around the room, seeing it as a visitor would. Mail was stacked up on the floor beside the recliner and beer bottles covered both end tables and the coffee table. There was a pizza box from the night before, or maybe it was the night before last, on the floor at the end of the couch and an empty whiskey bottle was turned over on its side a few feet past it. Shoes were piled up right inside the door and dirty socks and blue jeans littered the place. Pillows and blankets covered the sofa and gave evidence that I hadn't been sleeping in our room, in our bed.

"Um… I uh…" It took me a minute to realize, "I'm not really sure. Maybe right before Leah left?"

"That was almost six months ago."

"No wait, Rachel came over a few weeks ago and bullied me into cleaning the kitchen and bathroom. And I pick up some," I argued defensively.

Embry walked over to the window and threw the curtains back. It was easy to see the dust motes flying around in the air once he let a little sunshine in the room.

"Jake man, I gotta tell you, you've got to stop wallowing around and get your shit together. So Leah left you. Big fucking deal. It's time to find another piece of ass and get right back to riding it."

Embry rolled his eyes. "What Quil is trying to say, is that we," he waved his finger back and forth between the two of them, "are concerned. For the past few months, ever since she walked out, you've not done anything except go to work. We've tried to give you time to get over it. We've tried to respect your privacy and let you sort this out yourself. We've tried to get you interested in doing things and we've watched you refuse invitation after invitation. We've even allowed you to get away with pretending not to be here when we knocked on the door. But Jake, it's time to put this whole thing with Leah behind you and start living again."

I hung my head, embarrassed. I really thought that they had been fooled when I pretended not to be at home.

"Now tonight," Embry continued. "You are going out with us. We're going to have supper and then a few drinks somewhere."

I took a deep breath and tried to come up with an acceptable excuse to refuse.

"Yeah, what he said," Quil interjected, "and we won't take no for an answer."

"Exactly," Embry agreed. "So you go back there and take a shower and Quil and I will see about getting some of that," he waved at the kitchen and living room, "cleaned up."

I opened my mouth, "Uh—"

"Go…" Quil ordered, pointing toward the bathroom.

I took a few steps down the hallway and then turned back, "But Dad—"

"Knows we are taking you out tonight," Embry interrupted.

Resigned, I walked through the house and into the bathroom. I started the shower and then, when the water was warm, I stepped under the spray.

I could admit that I hadn't been taking care of myself lately. I'd let the house go and yeah, I needed a haircut, but surely I wasn't as bad as they were saying, was I?

I mean it was hard to watch the woman you loved, the woman that you had put back together, leave you for the same person that had broken her heart the first time. Fucking Leah, going back to Sam, and all because her cousin Emily had finally gotten tired of his bullshit. I had spent three years of my life with her, and she dumped me like hot shit in the middle of a heat wave.

I sighed. She may not have loved me but I had sure loved her.

The water started to turn cold and I quickly got out of the shower and dried off, briskly rubbing the towel over my body and then my hair. And then I encountered my first big problem.

"Hey guys, what did you expect me to wear?"

When I said I hadn't been taking care of myself, it was true. The only clean clothes I had were a few pairs of shorts and the stuff I wore to the garage to work in, and most of it was covered in grease stains.

Embry appeared in the doorway of my bedroom. "You know, I thought this might be a problem, so I stopped by and talked to your sister. I was just going to find out what size you wore, but anyway, I guess you had left these over at her house one day. Regardless, Rachel sent you this." He handed me a folded pair of jeans and a clean shirt, still on the hanger. "The shirt is mine, but it's clean and I think it will fit."

I looked him over. Embry was taller than I was by about an inch and a half, but I was more muscular, and my shoulders were wider. Even with the weight I knew I had lost, I was still bigger than Embry was, and he wasn't a small guy.

Quil was shorter than either of us, by a half foot or so. But he made up for it in sheer mass. Quil was built like a line backer. If I had guns, then Quil had fucking bazookas. No, I couldn't have worn anything of his.

I held the pants up by the waistband. "Yeah, I remember these jeans. They were too small. I gave them to Paul to wear one day when his got messed up changing a flat out front."

Quil waved his hand, "Yeah, whatever. Just put 'em on so we can go already."

I walked back into my room and got dressed. Like I had suspected, the shirt was too small, but that was alright. The dark green tee outlined my body like it was a second skin, and fortunately, even though I had lost weight, I really hadn't lost very much muscle.

The pants, surprisingly, were a perfect fit. I brushed my teeth and combed my hair, slapped on some deodorant and I was ready to go… almost.

I left my room in search of my shoes, only to find them by the front door. I started slipping my well used tennis shoes onto my feet when Quil asked, "You're not wearing _them_ are you?"

"What's wrong with my sneakers?"

"Nothing, if you're going to the garage or going to work out, but for tonight, just wear your boots."

"My boots… isn't it a little late in the year for that?"

"Nah… I've got mine on. Really dude, it's February. Wear the boots."

I rolled my eyes, "Fine." I got up and walked back to my room and dug my boots out of the back of my closet. I slid them on my feet and then joined the other two in the living room.

I glanced around and whistled. "I owe you guys; it doesn't look half bad in here."

"You owe me," Embry said. "Butthead's big contribution was to point out things that needed to be done."

"Every job needs a supervisor," Quil commented.

"You ready?" Embry asked.

I grabbed my wallet, checked to make sure I had the essentials, my ID, insurance card and ATM card, along with some cash. I pulled my house key off the key ring and slipped it behind my ID. I looked over at my buddies and nodded. "Yeah, I'm good to go."

We walked out my front door and we were off.

"So where we headed?" I asked once we were settled into the car.

"Well, first we are going to eat."

"It's a new place out by Port Angeles, a steakhouse. I've heard it was really good." Embry replied.

"And then?"

"Well, we thought we might hit up a club. I've heard that the new one, down by the water front is really cool." Quil suggested.

"Nah, I don't want to go to a club. Why don't we come back to Forks and hang out at Charlie's Place? A few games of pool and a beer or two sound just about right to me." Really, I was just looking to chill for a bit, not get hammered and hook up with some random woman.

And of course, I was also pretty sure that Leah and Sam would be at the Club in PA. I'd heard through the grapevine that she was partying every weekend. That was a big incentive for me not to go there. Leah would never come to Charlie's Place. Since he and Sue had started dating, Leah was always worried that he would try to stop her from having fun. Once upon a time, I had tried to convince her otherwise, now I was glad I had never been able to.

Embry nodded his head. "If that's what you want then that's what we'll do."

Quil sighed, "Good bye babes… good bye poor lonely women that would have been dying to get a piece of this." He held his arms up to the sides and made his muscles jump.

Embry smiled, "They can thank _us_ later, huh Jake?"

I grinned appreciating the way they were treating me normally, just the same as they had before and during Leah.

The steakhouse that Embry drove us to was just what it was supposed to be. Good meat, good sides and plenty of it. We washed it all down with a couple of beers, flirted with the waitress, who slipped Quil her number and then left with a full belly.

An hour later, we were back in Forks, and it was almost nine. It was the perfect time to be getting to the bar.

Charlie's Place was just a local hangout, but it was a cool place to be. They had live music on the weekends, a local band called "Horizon" that played a good mix of Eric Clapton, Journey, and Bon Jovi, along with Pitbull, Usher, Tim McGraw and Blake Shelton. They had even been known to play some Nine Inch Nails and Prince. There was a small area, cleared out for dancing and a separate room with five or six pool tables. You could easily hear the music while you played pool, but it wasn't so loud that you couldn't talk.

Probably the best thing about Charlie's Place, was that you could go there, have a good time, and not have to worry about anyone messing with you. Charlie Swan, the owner, was the retired Chief of Police in Forks and he usually ran the door himself. If things started to get out of hand, Charlie knew how to diffuse the situation without anyone getting hurt. And he always made sure that everyone got home safely, either by having a designated driver, calling a cab, or him taking them home himself. He'd even been known to throw down a sleeping bag or two for someone that really needed it. And the last time I'd seen him, the night Leah had walked out; he'd taken me back to his house to sleep it off. But I was a special case. I was the son he'd never had. He'd watched me grow up and had been there for me and dad through thick and thin. Truthfully, he was my second father.

We parked in the back of the lot and walked up to the door.

"Embry, Quil, come on in boys. Wait… Jake, is that you? Damn, it's good to see you, son. Where you been?" Charlie said as soon as I had walked in the door.

I shook his hand and replied, "Ah… just here and there, work mostly."

Charlie looked at me knowingly, "It's about time you showed that ugly mug in here. I see these two just about every weekend, but you've been hiding out."

I smiled, "Not hiding just…"

"He's been hiding," Embry confirmed.

"We had to drag him out tonight." Quil continued.

"Well I'm glad you did. You boys keep an eye out for my Bella. She said she was going to be popping in here sometime tonight."

"Bella's here?" I asked, looking around the building. I'd not seen her since she left for college. She'd come for one of her rare visits to see Charlie the summer after her graduation and then she was gone again to the University of Arizona. As far as I knew, she hadn't been back since.

"Yep, she just finished up her degree at the end of December and then she packed up and headed this way. She's staying with me for a few weeks and then she is going to work in Seattle. She has herself a job all lined up and everything."

"That's great, Charlie. It's good that she is going to be closer to you. What did Bella get her degree in?" Quil asked.

"She got a Masters in Native American studies with a J. D. in Law."

Embry whistled. "That's pretty impressive."

"She's been hired by a firm in Seattle that represents several of the tribes around here. I think even yours. I'd have to ask Billy to be sure, or maybe Bella, but I need to make sure I don't put her in a situation where she might think I was being nosy. Lawyer/ Client confidentiality and all of that."

I couldn't help but smile. Only Charlie would worry that he was putting Bella in a tough spot by asking if she was going to be handling a rare case for my tribe.

"Is she here now?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Oh no… she said she would stop by for a beer or two after the band got started. She cleaned my house all day and was going to get a shower and put on her face and stuff. She should be here in another half hour or so."

"Good deal, point her in our direction when she gets here," I suggested.

"Will do and first round is on me," Charlie offered.

"Thanks," Quil and Embry both said, at the same time.

"You don't have to do that," I answered.

"I know I don't have to, but I want to."

I just nodded my head and followed him into the bar. He helped himself to three long neck Vitamin R and handed them out. I took a long pull of the cold drink and then walked into the pool room.

We found an empty table and put our quarters on the edge of the table and then picked our sticks from the rack on the wall. And then we started playing. Embry and I started off and then Quil would play the winner. We alternated like that for a while, each of us doing our best to one up the other two.

I was in the middle of my third game when Quil asked, "So Jake, tell us about Bella."

"There's not a lot to tell. She's Charlie's daughter, she's a couple of years older than us and she is incredibly smart."

"You know that's not what I meant. What does she look like? Is she hot?"

I leaned against the wall and looked Quil over. "You do realize that she is related to you?"

"Not closely," he argued.

"She is your second cousin, same as I am."

"Really? Well that still isn't that close. So is she hot?"

I thought back to the last time I had seen Bella. We had spent some time together that summer between graduation and her leaving to go off to college. "Bella is…" I sighed and started over. "Bella is one of the kindest people I have ever met. She spent the summer cooking for Charlie and she always made extras for Dad and me."

"That didn't answer my question," Quil pointed out.

I looked at Embry for help.

"Hey man, don't look at me. I'm curious now myself." Embry sunk his shot and then missed on a complicated bank shot.

"She has this really pale skin that burns easily. She has shoulder length dark brown hair that she mostly wears in a pony tail, and glasses. She loves to read and she is extremely shy. She blushes over almost everything. You guys better take it easy on her and be nice," I warned.

I took my turn, and missed.

"But that doesn't really tell us anything," Quil argued. "Is she built?"

"No," I admitted. "Bella is tiny and thin. She is maybe 5 foot 4 or so and she might weigh a hundred pounds if she is soaking wet."

I watched while Embry sunk in two more stripes, expertly setting up the eight ball shot.

"Well that's disappointing," Quil said.

"You do realize that Charlie used to be the Police Chief, right?" Embry pointed out. "I'm sure he still has a license to carry a concealed weapon and I would lay money that he remembers how to use it."

"Oh, yeah, I had uh… forgotten that little detail," Quil admitted.

Embry called the pocket and took his shot, the eight ball bouncing off two rails before landing in the corner pocket.

I snickered and handed Quil my pool stick. "I'm going to get another beer. Anyone else want one?"

"Sure," replied Quil while at the same time Embry said, "Nah, I'm good. I'll take a coke though. After all, I did promise to drive you two home tonight."

I made my way around the crowds of people, through the room and into the bar, leaned up against the counter and waited. The place was packed so it took a while to get our drinks, but eventually the bartender worked his way over and soon, I was battling back through the masses and into the pool room with the drinks in hand.

The cool breeze blowing through the door caught my attention and I halted, dead in my tracks and stared at the vision walking in.

She was an angel; an angel with long, wavy hair. The neon lights in the window behind her, glowed, showing off curves that were absolutely perfect.

She hesitated and then I saw her go over to Charlie and pull him into a hug.

_That was strange, _I thought, and then I realized that this must be Bella.

I walked over to where they were standing and got a closer look. Bella Swan had grown up. And she had grown up well.

She smiled as I approached, her lips curving into a full out grin when Charlie reintroduced us.

"Bells, you remember Jacob Black?"

"Wow… is that you, Jake?" she asked.

"I could be saying the same about you. Damn girl, but you are a sight for sore eyes."

I set the beers down and pulled her into a hug. Fuck, but she smelt good, like chocolate and strawberries. And she felt so good tucked up against me. Reluctantly, I pulled back and gave her a little space. The mildly attractive eighteen year old girl had turned into a stunning 24 year old woman. Her once pale skin glowed with a luminescence that made her look radiant. Brown eyes that were once hid behind a pair of glasses were clear, expressive and rimmed in lashes that were long and thick. She was still tiny, but the once straight, thin figure had developed curves that my hands longed to cup. Dips and hollows that I knew my fingers would perfectly fit around, breast that I knew were the perfect size for my palms.

I swallowed hard and hoped my erection wouldn't be obvious to either Bella or Charlie.

Charlie turned and greeted a couple just coming in and I put my hand on her elbow, planning to move her to the side of the entry. But the feel of her skin on mine was surprising and I gasped. My skin tingled where we touched. She looked up at me, wide eyed and I knew she felt it, too. I wasn't sure what it meant, but I knew that I liked it.

I moved us out of the doorway and finally got a chance to talk to her. "So how long are you in town?"

"A few weeks, I'm not supposed to start my new job until the first of April."

"Really," I was having trouble keeping the excitement from coming through in my voice. Hopefully, I would get to see her again, like every day. "That's wonderful. So what do you have planned during your break?"

"Study, that's the main thing. I have my bar exam to prepare for. And I think it would be great to just relax and kick back some, enjoy the time off, have a little fun."

I couldn't stop my mind from wondering exactly what her idea of fun was, did it match mine? Would I get to find out?

Another couple coming in the door jostled Bella and I pulled her closer to me. "Would you like find a table and talk some? Maybe have a drink or two?"

"I'd love to."

My grin stretched across my face and I didn't even think about the beers, or Embry's coke, that I had sat down by Charlie. I led her into a small booth on the back side of the bar, well away from the stage and hopefully, a little quieter. I really did want to talk to her. The waitress came by and I ordered us a round, another beer for me and a Seven n Seven for her.

We sat and started to catch up. We had been talking for maybe twenty minutes before I even remembered that Quil and Embry were there. It was another ten before they came to find me. I cringed as Quil walked up to the table, worried about what he might say. He slid into the seat beside Bella and grinned.

"Are you here to meet a nice man or will I do?" Quil asked.

Bella choked back a laugh.

"So Jake, who's this lovely lady?" Quil never took his eyes off of Bella.

"Bella, these two goofballs are my friends, Quil Ateara and Embry Call. Actually, I think that Quil is a distant cousin of yours."

"It's nice to meet you both. How are we related?" she asked Quil, trying to steer the conversation around to something normal.

"My grandmother and your grandmother were sisters."

"Wait, does your family own the General Store in La Push?"

"How'd ya know?" Quil answered sounding genuinely surprised.

"I remember Dad introducing me to your grandfather once, a long time ago. His name is Quil too… right?"

Quil nodded.

"It also helps that I've heard Charlie talk about you from time to time. Well actually, he's mentioned all of you."

"Ahhh… Charlie loves me. I'm sure he was telling you how great and wonderful I am, right?"

"More like warning her to stay away from you," Embry commented.

I swallowed a laugh.

Bella was trying to hide her smile while Quil pretended like Embry hadn't spoken.

Quil scooted closer to Bella, rested his arm on the back of the seat and turned in her direction. "Ever hear of kissing cousins?"

"No, I don't think so, but I wouldn't admit it to you if I had."

"Playing hard to get, I like it."

"Leave her alone Quil," Embry said. "I don't think Bella will be interested in someone with the mentality of a seven year old."

"Really… seven? You give him a lot of credit." Bella commented, but the sparkle in her eyes showed that she was just teasing.

Embry flashed her a bright smile.

Quil didn't even answer. He just started giving her all his 'smoothest' lines. "So Bella, do you want tickets?"

"Tickets to what?" She looked adorably confused.

I just rolled my eyes, knowing what was coming next. Quil wiggled his eyebrows and lifted up his arm. He started flexing his muscle and then said, "Tickets to the gun show."

Bella snorted and without batting an eye replied. "Really… that's the best you've got?"

Quil thought for a minute and then smirked. "You must like Lucky Charms, because you look magically delicious."

Bella quirked up an eyebrow. "You must be like a candy bar, half sweet, half nuts and completely bad for you."

Embry and I both started laughing and even Quil gave an appreciative smile.

"You know Bella, I may not be the best looking guy here, but beauty is only a light switch away."

"A light switch or a six pack?" she retorted.

"Hummm… I like a challenge. How about this one…" He looked her over and then leered, "I'm fighting the urge to make you the happiest woman on earth tonight."

"Don't fight it, give in, go home." She gave a little bye wave.

I couldn't stop laughing. Bella was brilliant. She had a quick remark for just about everything Quil threw at her.

"Give it up, Quil," Embry said.

"No, I never give up." He propped his head in his hand and listened while the three of us talked. I was asking her questions, trying to learn everything I could about the remarkable woman sitting across from me. Bella was in the middle of explaining about her new job when Quil suddenly sat straight up, gave what was supposed to be a sultry look and demanded, "How do you get in those jeans? And how do I?"

"I think I just threw up a little bit in my mouth." Bella replied.

"Isn't that a country song?" I asked.

"Shut up Jake, you're blowing my game." Quil whined.

Bella put her hand on his arm, "I think you're doing that all by yourself."

At the same time Embry scoffed, "What game?"

Quil looked over at me and grinned, "I like her."

I just stared in Bella's eyes and said, "So do I."

Quil stood and tapped Embry on the shoulder. "Come on dude, that's our cue to leave. I need to get home anyways."

Embry got up and then glanced down at us. "Bella, it was a pleasure. Jake, you got a way home?"

"I can take him," Bella spoke up. Then she looked at me and her cheeks turned a beautiful pink. "That is… if you want me to."

I smiled, "Yeah, I think I would like that… a lot."

We sat there silently for a moment and looked in each other's eyes.

The band started playing the opening notes to a slow song and I held out my hand. "Dance with me?"

She put her hand in mine and smiled. "I'd love to."

I led her to the dance floor and wrapped my arms around her waist. Bella lifted her hands and rested them on the back of my neck. Her fingers rubbed the tender skin, just below my hair line and I shivered. I was hyper aware of every move she made. Her simple touch was almost magical in the way it stirred my senses, heightened my awareness of her. I knew then that I was going to fall hard and it would happen fast.

You can call me sappy, or even say that I was a girl, but the words of the song that the band was playing suddenly registered and it fit what I was thinking, what I was feeling, to a tee.

_Have a night that you'll never forget  
And now you're standing in the neon looking like a high I wanna be on_

You don't have to throw back your pretty pink lemonade shooter  
And lean a little closer  
You don't have to keep on smiling that smile that's driving me wild  
And when the night is almost over  
Meet me in the middle of a moonlit Chevy bench seat  
And do a little bit of country song, hanging on  
You don't have to keep me falling like this  
But it'd sure be cool if you did  
Yeah, it'd sure be cool if you did  


The last notes of the song faded away and I loosened my arms, allowing her to lean back and look up at me. "Do you uh… do you mind if we go somewhere else? Maybe somewhere that's a little or a lot quieter?

"I think that is a fantastic idea." And without even thinking about it, I put my hand on the small of her back and walked her to the door.

Charlie was sitting in the same spot he had occupied earlier, but he sat up and took notice when we walked up together. "Bella, Jake, you two going somewhere?"

"Just going to talk, maybe catch up a little," Bella answered him.

"Alright then, you two be careful. And Jake, you make sure my little girl gets home safe."

"I'll take good care of her," I promised. And I meant it.

We drove to first beach and took a walk. Then we spent the rest of the night, sitting in Bella's truck and talking. Being with Bella was natural, it was easy and it was fun.

By the time the sun came up the next morning, I was crazy about her.

By the end of the first week, I knew I would lose my heart to the beautiful brunette and it would be stronger than anything I had ever felt before.

By the time she was supposed to start her new job, I was head over heels in love with her and asking her to move in with me.

By the end of the summer, I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me.

And the next time I saw Leah, I thanked her for leaving me.


End file.
